Michelle Carl/The Press TribuneWonderful Davidson accepts the Ruby Award from Jerri Curradi, president of Soroptimist International of Lincoln.

Michelle Carl/The Press TribuneAwards were presented to . From left, Karen Leavit, president of Soroptimist International of Roseville, Wonderful Davidson, Virginia Hart, Roseann Jorgensen, Alana Reeves, and Jerri Curradi, president of Soroptimist International of Lincoln.

Sharing their stories of triumph over adversity, four women accepted awards from the Roseville and Lincoln chapters of Soroptimist International Thursday.
The annual awards banquet was held at Sierra View Country Club in Roseville.
Virginia Hart was presented with the Soroptimist International of Lincoln’s Women’s Opportunity Award.
The stress of losing her home to foreclosure and having a husband on worker’s comp led to verbal and emotional abuse. Her daughter also became involved in a gang.
“In that moment I woke up. I had let my girls go, my marriage was gone, I was homeless, penniless. I had no vehicle, nothing,” she said. “I decided then and there that I needed to give other kids what (my daughter) needed and didn’t get at the time.”
Hart is attending Sierra College’s Department of Justice majoring in gang relations.
Alana Reeves was the recipient of the Soroptimist International of Roseville’s Women’s Opportunity Award.
Reeves was a high school drop-out who became pregnant at 17. She battled meth addiction and allowed her children to be exposed to abuse from her ex-husband.
After escaping her relationship, Reeves went back to school.
“Instead of beating myself up for what I did, how can I help other people?” she said of her experiences.
With four associate degrees in liberal arts, corrections, law enforcement and courts, she plans to transfer to Sacramento State to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and work with juveniles to break the cycle of abuse.
Del Oro High School junior Roseann Jorgensen was presented with the Violet Richardson Award for her work with Loomis 4-H and the Placer County Youth Commission.
Her leadership program at Del Oro helped raise 7,500 cans of food for the Loomis Christmas Basket Program.
Jorgensen has a passion for sewing, and even crafted the dress she wore during the awards presentation. She plans to donate her award to Loomis 4-H to purchase a sewing machine so others can learn the craft.
Wonderful Davidson was given the Ruby Award from Soroptimist International of Lincoln. Although a blessing to her mother who named her “Wonderful,” Davidson was labeled “stupid” as a child. She worked hard to complete high school and obtain her bachelor’s degree in communications.
Bouts of depression and physical abuse did not keep her from her mission of helping people.
She started Wonderful Unlimited Productions in Lincoln to improve the self-esteem of battered women and those recovering from child abuse.
“I’m so glad my mother gave me that name,” she said. “It has uplifted me in times of crisis.”
Michelle Carl can be reached at michellec@goldcountrymedia.com.